Reversing-valve for steam-engines.



No. 758,772. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. J. NIELSEN.

REVERSING VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1902.

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REVERSING VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 27, 1902.

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No. 758,772. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. J. NIELSEN.

REVERSING VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27' 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES iatenteci May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

REVERSlNG-VALVE FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 758,772, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed March 27, 1902.

To (Z whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN NIELSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of .lllinois, have invented a new and useful Reversing-Valve for Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to steamengines, and more particularly to an improved reversing mechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with locomotives, the object being to provide a construction which shall be cheaper and simpler than those now in general use, inasmuch as it avoids the use of the link mechanism and also the complicated valve reversing mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a central location of the cylinder and steam-chests, whereby the piston-rods can be connected at opposite ends with the drivingwheels, thereby throwing the entire weight of the locomotive upon the driving-wheels and quickly distributing the power to the wheels.

\Yith these various objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive provided with cylinders and steamchests constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the said cylinders and steam-chest, Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. I is a plan view, partly in section, illustrating the operation of the flap-valve. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pipe connection between the throttle-valve and the steam-chests, the latter being removed. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a valve, showing means for regulating admission of steam to the pipes.

In carrying out my invention I employ a central steam-chest A, and upon opposite sides thereof I arrange supplemental steam-chests B, and upon the outer side of each steam-chest B is arranged a cylinder C, and working in each cylinder is a piston D, the piston-rods E working through the opposite ends of the cylinder- Serial No. 100,288. No model.)

heads. The central steam-chest A has two slide-valves A, which are substantially the same as the ordinary slide-valve now in common use, and each steam-chest B has a slidevalve B, which is similar in construction to the slide-valves now in use. A and B are operated by the valve-stems A and B respectively, which are connected with eccentrics (not shown) in the proper manner, one set being arranged upon one side of the center of the engine, the other upon the opposite side of the center. It is to be understood that the cylinders and steam-chests (shown in Fig. 2) extend entirely across the under side of the engine, (shown in Fig. 1,) one of the piston-rods driving the wheels on one side of the engine and the other those upon its opposite side. A space or chamber F surrounds each steam-chest B, and flap-valves G are located at each end of each cylinder C, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In the lower central portion of each steamchest is a steam-inlet, those in the side chests B being indicated at b and that leading to the central steam-chest at a.

A main steam-pipe not shown) leads from the boiler and divides into three branches, leading, respectively, to the inlets (6 and 7) b.

In operation the steam is directed to either the central steam-chest through the inlet (a or to the side chests through the inlets 7/ 7). In Fig. 2 I have shown the steam as being directed to the side steam-chest, and the operation will then be exactly the same as though each side steam-chest had no connection whatever with the central steam-chest. The flapvalves G are pivoted to the wall of the chamber B adjacent the cylinder C and are adapted to close the passage F when steam is being fed to the cylinder C from the chamber B, the pressure of the steam holding the valve closed. When, however, steam is used from the central chamber, it will pass through one of the passages F (which one is immaterial) and force one of the valves open, as shown in Fig. I. The pivotal rods Cr of each flapends by a rod G.

These slide-valves these links and the rod the valves are moved in opposite directions, and the opening of one valve will therefore open the other valve, as shown in Fig. 4. When, therefore, steam passes through the passage F on one side of the chamber B, it will open the valves Gr, controlling both passages, and will therefore enter the cylinder at one end and exhaust at the other. These valves once opened will remain open until steam is cut off fromthe chamber A and directed into chamber B. To regulate admission of steam to the steamchests, I employ a throttle-valve H, arranged in a steam-pipe H, leading from the boiler. This is a two-way valve and is adapted to open communication between the pipe H and the pipe J or J, these pipes leading from the casing of the valve H at right angles to each other, so that when the valve is shifted to bring the port H between the pipes J and J steam will be cut off from each. The pipe J leads to the central chest A, discharging steam into said chest through the inlet a, and the pipe J divides into two branches J 2 and J which discharge, respectively, into the chests B through the inlets b.

It will thus be seen that I employ a single central steam-chest by means of which I am enabled to distribute steam to the cylinders at the opposite sides whenever it is desired before reversing the movement of the engine and that when an engine is being run from the central steam-chest its motion can be reversed by cutting ofl the steam from the central steamchest and applying steam to the side steamchest. It will also be noted that owing to the construction of my invention I am enabled to locate the cylinders beneath the boiler and midway beneath the driving-wheels, connecting the said driving-wheels with the opposite ends of the piston-rods, thereby distributing the power evenly to the said drive-wheels, and, furthermore, by locating the cylinder centrally and between the drive-wheels the entire weight of the locomotive can be supported upon the said drive-wheels.

It will be understood that I have shown the cylinders and steam-chests applied to a rail- Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an engine the combination with cylinders, a piston working therein, of the steamchests connected with the said cylinders, and a central steam-chest arranged between the first-mentioned steam-chests and operatively connected with the cylinders for the purpose described.

2. A steam engine comprising a central steam-chest, supplemental chest arranged upon opposite sides, and the cylinders arranged upon the outer sides of the supplemental chest, each supplemental steam-chest having a chamber surrounding the same and valves arranged at each end of the cylinder for controlling the inlet and outlet of the steam from the central steam-chest, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a central steamchest having ports at the opposite sides and slide-valves operating upon the said ports, the I supplemental steam .chest communicating with the main or central steam-chest and surrounded by a chamber having flap-valves at each end, slide-valves arranged in each supplemental steam-chest, the cylinders operatively connected with both the main and supplemental steam-chest, the pistons working therein, and the piston-rods passing through the opposite ends of the cylinders for the purpose specified.

' 4. In an engine, the combination with a plurality of cylinders having pistons therein, of a central steam-chest between the cylinders, supplemental steam-chests independent of the central chest arranged adjacent the cylinders, and means for admitting steam to the cylinders from either the supplemental or the central steam-chest at the will of the engineer.

JOHN NIELSEN. Witnesses:

LoUIs HANSEN, IRA R. HANSEN. 

